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LGHL How Vegas views Ohio State’s title chances following Week 1
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How Vegas views Ohio State’s title chances following Week 1
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Disp / USA TODAY NETWORK
While some fans seemed to take issue with how OSU won over Akron, sportsbooks didn’t seem to mind.
The No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes opened up the 2024 college football season with a decisive 52-6 win over the Akron Zips. Despite the dominance, especially in the second half, many Buckeye fans were left with more complaints than you would expect from a sane fanbase.
So, following that season opener, we wanted to take a look and see how the Buckeyes stacked up in Las Vegas’ view in some of the biggest futures options currently on the board. We are using DraftKings Sportsbook odds here, but the numbers are pretty similar across the board.
National Championship Odds | Ohio State +400
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With one week under their belts, the Buckeyes (+400) remain solidly in second place behind Georgia (+280), however, Oregon dropped significantly while still remaining in third place. Before their near-historic loss to Idaho in Week 1, the Ducks had odds in the low +600s, depending on when you grabbed it.
Now, they are tied with Texas for third at +750. It appears that Vegas did not ding the Buckeyes too much for an off-kilter first half against the Zips.
The Buckeyes’ +400 means that if you bet $100 on them to win the national title, you would make a $400 profit; or you would take home $500 after getting your initial bet back.
College Football Playoff Odds | Ohio State -650
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With a number like -650, Vegas is essentially telling you that Ohio State is as close to a CFP lock as there can possibly be; obviously, UGA is even better at -750, but both numbers are very strong. If you want to win $100 by beating on the Buckeyes to make the 12-team College Football Playoff, you would have to put up $650.
So, if you feel extremely confident in OSU’s chances, go ahead and take that $100, but you are risking a decent amount of money to do so.
Oregon and Penn State are the only other two Big Ten schools in negative territory, with Michigan, USC, and Iowa in the hunt as well.
Big Ten Championship Odds | Ohio State +145
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Despite any presumed hiccups against Akron, Vegas still has Ohio State as the clear favorite to win the Big Ten this season. Of course, that is probably also impacted by the fact that Oregon looked less than spectacular in their first game of the season.
While not exactly even money, at +145, you are only getting about 1.5x return on investment if you pick the Buckeyes to win the conference title in Indianapolis in early December. Picking a B1G won’t be substantially profitable until you start looking at the teams in fourth place and below.
The three-time defending conference champs are at +900 — so if you bet $100, you will walk away with $1,000 — but man, that Iowa +4000 number is interesting given their relatively weak schedule and always impressive defense. I know that their offense is still nothing special, but putting $10 down to potentially win $400 seems like it would be worth a little action.
Heisman Trophy Odds | Will Howard +1600, Jeremiah Smith +9000
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I don’t think that there is any chance that a Buckeye wins the Heisman Trophy this season, but if there were multi-year futures available, I think I would put down some money on Jeremiah Smith. Given the hype around him just one game into his collegiate career by his sophomore or junior seasons, I think that he will be a big enough CFB star to overcome the quarterback stranglehold over the award.
We saw Marvin Harrison Jr. get the invite last season, and I believe that had he shown out against Michigan and the Buckeyes had won, he would have had a legitimate shot to take home the honor. Sadly, that is not what happened, but we know how important narrative is in the Hesiman race, and there is plenty of time for Smith to build the story up enough for him to break that glass ceiling. Of course, it also helps that he is otherworldly talented as well.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Disp / USA TODAY NETWORK
While some fans seemed to take issue with how OSU won over Akron, sportsbooks didn’t seem to mind.
The No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes opened up the 2024 college football season with a decisive 52-6 win over the Akron Zips. Despite the dominance, especially in the second half, many Buckeye fans were left with more complaints than you would expect from a sane fanbase.
So, following that season opener, we wanted to take a look and see how the Buckeyes stacked up in Las Vegas’ view in some of the biggest futures options currently on the board. We are using DraftKings Sportsbook odds here, but the numbers are pretty similar across the board.
National Championship Odds | Ohio State +400
With one week under their belts, the Buckeyes (+400) remain solidly in second place behind Georgia (+280), however, Oregon dropped significantly while still remaining in third place. Before their near-historic loss to Idaho in Week 1, the Ducks had odds in the low +600s, depending on when you grabbed it.
Now, they are tied with Texas for third at +750. It appears that Vegas did not ding the Buckeyes too much for an off-kilter first half against the Zips.
The Buckeyes’ +400 means that if you bet $100 on them to win the national title, you would make a $400 profit; or you would take home $500 after getting your initial bet back.
College Football Playoff Odds | Ohio State -650
With a number like -650, Vegas is essentially telling you that Ohio State is as close to a CFP lock as there can possibly be; obviously, UGA is even better at -750, but both numbers are very strong. If you want to win $100 by beating on the Buckeyes to make the 12-team College Football Playoff, you would have to put up $650.
So, if you feel extremely confident in OSU’s chances, go ahead and take that $100, but you are risking a decent amount of money to do so.
Oregon and Penn State are the only other two Big Ten schools in negative territory, with Michigan, USC, and Iowa in the hunt as well.
Big Ten Championship Odds | Ohio State +145
Despite any presumed hiccups against Akron, Vegas still has Ohio State as the clear favorite to win the Big Ten this season. Of course, that is probably also impacted by the fact that Oregon looked less than spectacular in their first game of the season.
While not exactly even money, at +145, you are only getting about 1.5x return on investment if you pick the Buckeyes to win the conference title in Indianapolis in early December. Picking a B1G won’t be substantially profitable until you start looking at the teams in fourth place and below.
The three-time defending conference champs are at +900 — so if you bet $100, you will walk away with $1,000 — but man, that Iowa +4000 number is interesting given their relatively weak schedule and always impressive defense. I know that their offense is still nothing special, but putting $10 down to potentially win $400 seems like it would be worth a little action.
Heisman Trophy Odds | Will Howard +1600, Jeremiah Smith +9000
I don’t think that there is any chance that a Buckeye wins the Heisman Trophy this season, but if there were multi-year futures available, I think I would put down some money on Jeremiah Smith. Given the hype around him just one game into his collegiate career by his sophomore or junior seasons, I think that he will be a big enough CFB star to overcome the quarterback stranglehold over the award.
We saw Marvin Harrison Jr. get the invite last season, and I believe that had he shown out against Michigan and the Buckeyes had won, he would have had a legitimate shot to take home the honor. Sadly, that is not what happened, but we know how important narrative is in the Hesiman race, and there is plenty of time for Smith to build the story up enough for him to break that glass ceiling. Of course, it also helps that he is otherworldly talented as well.
Continue reading...
LGHL Bucketheads Podcast: Ohio State commit Alex Smith joins the show
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Bucketheads Podcast: Ohio State commit Alex Smith joins the show
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Shane Flanigan / USA TODAY NETWORK
We talked with Smith about his decision to commit to Ohio State, what he likes about coach Jake Diebler and his energy, his Chipotle order, pickleball, and much more
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
For the 128th episode of the Bucketheads Podcast, Connor and Justin are joined by Alex Smith, a 2026 power forward and the newest commit in the Ohio State men’s basketball 2026 recruiting class, joining Marcus Johnson.
We talked with Smith about his decision to commit to Ohio State, what he likes about coach Jake Diebler and his energy, his Chipotle order, pickleball, and more. We also give him some quick hitters at the end to learn more about the future Buckeye.
Before the Smith interview, we discussed his commitment, Darryn Peterson narrowing his list to four teams, and three more trivia questions for Justin, who is 6-3 in three episodes.
Make sure to like, subscribe, comment, and leave a review on the show!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Alex:
Twitter: @alexx_smith26
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Shane Flanigan / USA TODAY NETWORK
We talked with Smith about his decision to commit to Ohio State, what he likes about coach Jake Diebler and his energy, his Chipotle order, pickleball, and much more
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
For the 128th episode of the Bucketheads Podcast, Connor and Justin are joined by Alex Smith, a 2026 power forward and the newest commit in the Ohio State men’s basketball 2026 recruiting class, joining Marcus Johnson.
We talked with Smith about his decision to commit to Ohio State, what he likes about coach Jake Diebler and his energy, his Chipotle order, pickleball, and more. We also give him some quick hitters at the end to learn more about the future Buckeye.
Before the Smith interview, we discussed his commitment, Darryn Peterson narrowing his list to four teams, and three more trivia questions for Justin, who is 6-3 in three episodes.
Make sure to like, subscribe, comment, and leave a review on the show!
Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @BucketheadsLGPN
Connect with Connor:
Twitter: @lemons_connor
Connect with Justin:
Twitter: @justin_golba
Connect with Alex:
Twitter: @alexx_smith26
Continue reading...
LGHL MC&J: Texas travels to Michigan in Week 2’s marquee matchup
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MC&J: Texas travels to Michigan in Week 2’s marquee matchup
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Adam Davis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Plus, picks for all the other games with point spreads involving Big Ten teams this weekend.
Last week ATS: 13-10 (3-2 National, 10-8 B1G)
The first week of games is always so tough to pick since there are so many questions still left to be answered about who is going to step up to replace departed players for teams. Also, a lot of the matchups end up being games against Group of Five or FCS schools.
Anytime you can finish the opening weekend with a positive record you’ll gladly take it.
Duke v. Northwestern (-2.5) - Friday 9/7 9:00 p.m. ET - FS1
Northwestern opened up their season with a solid 13-6 over Miami (OH), who will be in the mix to win the MAC this year. Quarterback Mike Wright did most of the work for the Wildcats on offense, throwing for 178 yards and adding 65 yards and a score on the ground. Northwestern’s defense was outstanding, holding the RedHawks to just 40 yards rushing and forcing two turnovers.
Remember Texas quarterback Maalik Murphy? The big sophomore is now at Duke, throwing for nearly 300 yards in his debut with the Blue Devils. Much like Northwestern, Duke was able to use their defense to stifle their opponent, giving up just 110 total yards to Elon. In what is likely to be a low-scoring game, I’ll side with Murphy and the Blue Devils since I feel Murphy is a little more capable of stringing together some drives to get Duke into scoring position.
Duke 21, Northwestern 17
No. 3 Texas (-7.5) v. No. 10 Michigan - 12:00 p.m. ET - FOX
Had it not been for Washington, this would have been a rematch of the national title game. Who knows, maybe Texas would have won that game and Jim Harbaugh would have bolted for the NFL as a three-time loser in the College Football Playoff. There are some who think both of these teams are headed to this year’s expanded playoff, but I think the Wolverines end up losing at least three games this year.
Texas had no problem in their opener, as Quinn Ewers threw for 260 yards and three touchdowns in a 52-0 win over Colorado State. Even Arch Manning got into the game and was able to record his first career passing touchdown for the Longhorns. Texas has an impressive group of receivers, and they’ll have to be at their best since there are still questions about their running game after CJ Baxter was lost for the season due to injury.
Michigan didn’t impress me in their opener against Fresno State. Had it not been for Will Johnson’s pick-six in the fourth quarter, the score would have truly shown how much the Wolverines struggled. I’m not exactly sure what head coach Sherrone Moore was trying to accomplish, starting Davis Warren over Alex Orji and only giving Donovan Edwards 11 carries in the game.
Texas is a whole different animal than Fresno State, and the Longhorns win by at least 10.
Texas 28, Michigan 17
Bowling Green v. No. 8 Penn State (-34.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
Penn State was very impressive in their 34-12 win over West Virginia last week. New offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki is bringing some pop with him from Kansas, which could have Drew Allar as a Heisman Trophy sleeper if he has a few more performances like we saw from him against the Mountaineers. Add in running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, and opponents will have their hands full trying to slow down the Nittany Lions.
After saying so many nice things about Penn State, I must be taking the Nittany Lions this week, right? Wrong. This feels like it could be a bit of a letdown spot for them. Not saying Penn State is on upset alert, but Bowling Green does have a quarterback in Connor Bazelak, who used to play in a Power 5 conference, so he is familiar with the big stage.
The Falcons should be able to keep the final score margin inside 30.
Penn State 42, Bowling Green 14
Akron v. Rutgers (-23.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
Playing Ohio State takes a lot out of opponents. Just ask Akron quarterback Ben Finley, who was punished by the Buckeyes before leaving Saturday’s game. Rutgers isn’t the offensive juggernaut Ohio State is, but the Scarlet Knights have shown under Greg Schiano they can take care of business against teams they should beat.
Rutgers 37, Akron 10
Iowa State v. No. 21 Iowa (-2.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - CBS
El Assico is back! This year’s edition should be a fun watch. Not only do the Cyclones have quarterback Rocco Becht and running back Abu Sama III back, the Hawkeyes are coming off a 40-point performance last week against Illinois State. Iowa really got their act together after halftime on offense, putting up 34 points in the second half. Cade McNamara threw three touchdown passes in the victory.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25604085/usa_today_24122893.jpg "NCAA Football: Illinois State at Iowa")
Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
Find something you love doing as much as Matt Campbell loves losing to Iowa. Following last year’s 20-13 Hawkeye victory, Campbell is now 1-6 against Kirk Ferentz. The only victory for Campbell came in 2022 when the Cyclones won 10-7. I’m having a hard time seeing Campbell’s squad making it two wins in the last three years.
New offensive coordinator is going to open up the Iowa offense just enough to put the Hawkeyes in position to possibly make the CFP.
Iowa 24, Iowa State 14
Michigan State v. Maryland (-9.5) - 3:30 p.m ET - Big Ten Network
Michigan State may have won their season opener, but it certainly wasn’t pretty. The Spartans pulled out a 16-10 victory in head coach Jonathan Smith’s first game in charge in East Lansing. If Michigan State can’t handle their business at home against an inferior opponent like Florida Atlantic, what hope do they have against a team like Maryland, who was hitting on all cylinders in their opening game win over UConn?
The Terrapins win the first Big Ten game of the season by at least 10 points.
Maryland 38, Michigan State 20
Eastern Michigan v. Washington (-25.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
Washington opened up their life in the Big Ten with an easy win over FCS foe Weber State. This week the Huskies move up to playing FBS teams, as Eastern Michigan makes the trip out to Seattle. The Eagles are replacing a lot on offense from last year’s team, which isn’t something you want to be doing against a defense that only allowed three points to Weber State.
Chris Creighton always fields pesky teams that punch above their weight limit when taking on Power 5 schools. I just think asking the Eagles to stay within four touchdowns on Washington is asking a lot. The Huskies looked good with the combo of quarterback Will Rogers and running back Jonah Coleman. The duo is only going to get stronger as they get more reps together.
Washington 41, Eastern Michigan 13
No. 19 Kansas (-5.5) v. Illinois - 7:00 p.m. ET - FS1
Just a few years ago nobody would have cared about this matchup. Now the battle between the Jayhawks and Fighting Illini is actually an interesting one. Kansas will be fighting for the Big 12 crown this year with quarterback Jalon Daniels running the offense. Devin Neal rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns in the season opening 48-3 win over Lindenwood.
Luke Altmyer is back for another season as Illinois quarterback, and tossed four scores against Eastern Illinois last Thursday. This game could be one of the most exciting of the weekend, as both offenses have the potential to put points on the board. To me, Kansas is just a little more of a complete team and I could see Daniels leading the Jayhawks to a score late in the fourth quarter to secure the victory for Kansas.
Kansas 38, Illinois 31
Colorado v. Nebraska (-7.5) - 7:30 p.m. ET - NBC
Colorado opened up their 2024 season by squeaking by North Dakota State 31-26 in Boulder. Sheduer Sanders was outstanding in the victory, passing for 445 yards and four touchdowns, finding two-way star Travis Hunter three times in the end zone. The issue with Colorado is they are still pretty weak in the trenches. Dallan Hayden was the leading rusher for the Buffaloes, but the former Buckeye only had 20 yards rushing.
Dylan Raiola impressed in his first collegiate game, completing 70 percent of his passes in the blowout of UTEP. What was most impressive about the Cornhuskers last week was how fierce their defense was. Sanders will put up some numbers but the difference is going to be how much better the lines of Nebraska are than what Colorado has to offer.
The Cornhuskers gain some revenge for last year’s loss as Matt Rhule continues to inject some excitement back into the Nebraska fan base.
Nebraska 41, Colorado 30
Boise State v. No. 7 Oregon (-18.5) - 10:00 p.m. ET - Peacock
Oregon’s season opener against Idaho was very puzzling. Even though Dillon Gabriel completed 41 of his 49 passes for 380 yards, the Ducks only beat Idaho by 10 points in Eugene. Now Oregon has to try and stop Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, who ran for 267 yards and six touchdowns in a 56-45 win over Georgia Southern.
While the defense of the Broncos did leave a lot to be desired with their performance against Georgia Southern, they were able to get some stops in the fourth quarter to pull away and secure the victory. Oregon certainly will be more efficient on offense, but I think Boise State has more than enough to keep this game from getting out of control.
Oregon 45, Boise State 34
Utah State v. No. 13 USC (-28.5) - 11:00 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
I’ll be honest, I was not expecting USC to look as good as they did on Sunday night in Las Vegas against LSU. If the Trojans can keep playing defense like they did against the Tigers, they are going to be tough to beat this year. It just goes to show you how terrible former defensive coordinator Alex Grinch was at his job, since D’Anton Lynn has been able to change the culture on defense after coming over as defensive coordinator from UCLA.
Utah State was probably just happy to get on the football field after the offseason drama that resulted in the firing of head coach Blake Anderson. The Aggies rolled up over 600 yards of offense in a 36-14 win over Robert Morris last week. Quarterback Bryson Barnes actually led Utah to a win last year at USC so he’ll go into the game with some confidence.
While I’m not calling for Utah State to win this one, they could annoy the Trojans, who are working on a short week and have been hearing about how great they are after the win over LSU,
USC 48, Utah State 24
Western Michigan v. No. 2 Ohio State (-37.5) - 7:30 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
Last week we rolled with Akron to cover the massive point spread against Ohio State. The play worked, as the Buckeyes won by ONLY 46 points.
There was some rust early on that contributed to Ohio State barely failing to cover the massive number against the Zips. The most notable issue for the Buckeyes was how much trouble they had running the football. Quinshon Judkins was bottled up in his Ohio State debut, with the Buckeyes running for 170 yards on the ground as a team.
At least Will Howard was able to find Jeremiah Smith early and often in the game. In his first collegiate game, Smith has already started to live up to the hype. The trifecta of Smith, Emeka Egbuka, and Carnell Tate are only going to get better as the season moves along. The veteran leadership of Will Howard is also going to make this team so much more enjoyable to watch than what we saw from Kyle McCord last season.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25604086/2169390092.jpg "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: AUG 31 Akron at Ohio State")
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Western Michigan hung with Wisconsin last week, actually taking a 14-13 lead on the Badgers early in the fourth quarter. Although, I think that might have more to do with Wisconsin still struggling to find their identity under Luke Fickell than the Broncos being a team that is going to contend for the MAC title this year. Western Michigan is still pretty green on offense, which will likely show up more against Ohio State’s outstanding defense, who were able to score two touchdowns against Akron last week.
It probably sounds crazy to say the Buckeyes are going to improve after a 46-point win, but they will tighten up some areas this week. TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins find some more running room this week, especially if guard Donovan Jackson returns to the lineup after missing last week due to injury. Next week Ohio State has a bye, so Ryan Day is going to expect a complete performance out of his team this week.
This feels like a game the Buckeyes should win by at least 40 points.
Ohio State 51, Western Michigan 10
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Adam Davis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Plus, picks for all the other games with point spreads involving Big Ten teams this weekend.
Last week ATS: 13-10 (3-2 National, 10-8 B1G)
The first week of games is always so tough to pick since there are so many questions still left to be answered about who is going to step up to replace departed players for teams. Also, a lot of the matchups end up being games against Group of Five or FCS schools.
Anytime you can finish the opening weekend with a positive record you’ll gladly take it.
B1G games (All games Saturday unless otherwise noted):
Duke v. Northwestern (-2.5) - Friday 9/7 9:00 p.m. ET - FS1
Northwestern opened up their season with a solid 13-6 over Miami (OH), who will be in the mix to win the MAC this year. Quarterback Mike Wright did most of the work for the Wildcats on offense, throwing for 178 yards and adding 65 yards and a score on the ground. Northwestern’s defense was outstanding, holding the RedHawks to just 40 yards rushing and forcing two turnovers.
Remember Texas quarterback Maalik Murphy? The big sophomore is now at Duke, throwing for nearly 300 yards in his debut with the Blue Devils. Much like Northwestern, Duke was able to use their defense to stifle their opponent, giving up just 110 total yards to Elon. In what is likely to be a low-scoring game, I’ll side with Murphy and the Blue Devils since I feel Murphy is a little more capable of stringing together some drives to get Duke into scoring position.
Duke 21, Northwestern 17
No. 3 Texas (-7.5) v. No. 10 Michigan - 12:00 p.m. ET - FOX
Had it not been for Washington, this would have been a rematch of the national title game. Who knows, maybe Texas would have won that game and Jim Harbaugh would have bolted for the NFL as a three-time loser in the College Football Playoff. There are some who think both of these teams are headed to this year’s expanded playoff, but I think the Wolverines end up losing at least three games this year.
Texas had no problem in their opener, as Quinn Ewers threw for 260 yards and three touchdowns in a 52-0 win over Colorado State. Even Arch Manning got into the game and was able to record his first career passing touchdown for the Longhorns. Texas has an impressive group of receivers, and they’ll have to be at their best since there are still questions about their running game after CJ Baxter was lost for the season due to injury.
Michigan didn’t impress me in their opener against Fresno State. Had it not been for Will Johnson’s pick-six in the fourth quarter, the score would have truly shown how much the Wolverines struggled. I’m not exactly sure what head coach Sherrone Moore was trying to accomplish, starting Davis Warren over Alex Orji and only giving Donovan Edwards 11 carries in the game.
Texas is a whole different animal than Fresno State, and the Longhorns win by at least 10.
Texas 28, Michigan 17
Bowling Green v. No. 8 Penn State (-34.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
Penn State was very impressive in their 34-12 win over West Virginia last week. New offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki is bringing some pop with him from Kansas, which could have Drew Allar as a Heisman Trophy sleeper if he has a few more performances like we saw from him against the Mountaineers. Add in running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, and opponents will have their hands full trying to slow down the Nittany Lions.
After saying so many nice things about Penn State, I must be taking the Nittany Lions this week, right? Wrong. This feels like it could be a bit of a letdown spot for them. Not saying Penn State is on upset alert, but Bowling Green does have a quarterback in Connor Bazelak, who used to play in a Power 5 conference, so he is familiar with the big stage.
The Falcons should be able to keep the final score margin inside 30.
Penn State 42, Bowling Green 14
Akron v. Rutgers (-23.5) - 12:00 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
Playing Ohio State takes a lot out of opponents. Just ask Akron quarterback Ben Finley, who was punished by the Buckeyes before leaving Saturday’s game. Rutgers isn’t the offensive juggernaut Ohio State is, but the Scarlet Knights have shown under Greg Schiano they can take care of business against teams they should beat.
Rutgers 37, Akron 10
Iowa State v. No. 21 Iowa (-2.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - CBS
El Assico is back! This year’s edition should be a fun watch. Not only do the Cyclones have quarterback Rocco Becht and running back Abu Sama III back, the Hawkeyes are coming off a 40-point performance last week against Illinois State. Iowa really got their act together after halftime on offense, putting up 34 points in the second half. Cade McNamara threw three touchdown passes in the victory.
Find something you love doing as much as Matt Campbell loves losing to Iowa. Following last year’s 20-13 Hawkeye victory, Campbell is now 1-6 against Kirk Ferentz. The only victory for Campbell came in 2022 when the Cyclones won 10-7. I’m having a hard time seeing Campbell’s squad making it two wins in the last three years.
New offensive coordinator is going to open up the Iowa offense just enough to put the Hawkeyes in position to possibly make the CFP.
Iowa 24, Iowa State 14
Michigan State v. Maryland (-9.5) - 3:30 p.m ET - Big Ten Network
Michigan State may have won their season opener, but it certainly wasn’t pretty. The Spartans pulled out a 16-10 victory in head coach Jonathan Smith’s first game in charge in East Lansing. If Michigan State can’t handle their business at home against an inferior opponent like Florida Atlantic, what hope do they have against a team like Maryland, who was hitting on all cylinders in their opening game win over UConn?
The Terrapins win the first Big Ten game of the season by at least 10 points.
Maryland 38, Michigan State 20
Eastern Michigan v. Washington (-25.5) - 3:30 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
Washington opened up their life in the Big Ten with an easy win over FCS foe Weber State. This week the Huskies move up to playing FBS teams, as Eastern Michigan makes the trip out to Seattle. The Eagles are replacing a lot on offense from last year’s team, which isn’t something you want to be doing against a defense that only allowed three points to Weber State.
Chris Creighton always fields pesky teams that punch above their weight limit when taking on Power 5 schools. I just think asking the Eagles to stay within four touchdowns on Washington is asking a lot. The Huskies looked good with the combo of quarterback Will Rogers and running back Jonah Coleman. The duo is only going to get stronger as they get more reps together.
Washington 41, Eastern Michigan 13
No. 19 Kansas (-5.5) v. Illinois - 7:00 p.m. ET - FS1
Just a few years ago nobody would have cared about this matchup. Now the battle between the Jayhawks and Fighting Illini is actually an interesting one. Kansas will be fighting for the Big 12 crown this year with quarterback Jalon Daniels running the offense. Devin Neal rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns in the season opening 48-3 win over Lindenwood.
Luke Altmyer is back for another season as Illinois quarterback, and tossed four scores against Eastern Illinois last Thursday. This game could be one of the most exciting of the weekend, as both offenses have the potential to put points on the board. To me, Kansas is just a little more of a complete team and I could see Daniels leading the Jayhawks to a score late in the fourth quarter to secure the victory for Kansas.
Kansas 38, Illinois 31
Colorado v. Nebraska (-7.5) - 7:30 p.m. ET - NBC
Colorado opened up their 2024 season by squeaking by North Dakota State 31-26 in Boulder. Sheduer Sanders was outstanding in the victory, passing for 445 yards and four touchdowns, finding two-way star Travis Hunter three times in the end zone. The issue with Colorado is they are still pretty weak in the trenches. Dallan Hayden was the leading rusher for the Buffaloes, but the former Buckeye only had 20 yards rushing.
Dylan Raiola impressed in his first collegiate game, completing 70 percent of his passes in the blowout of UTEP. What was most impressive about the Cornhuskers last week was how fierce their defense was. Sanders will put up some numbers but the difference is going to be how much better the lines of Nebraska are than what Colorado has to offer.
The Cornhuskers gain some revenge for last year’s loss as Matt Rhule continues to inject some excitement back into the Nebraska fan base.
Nebraska 41, Colorado 30
Boise State v. No. 7 Oregon (-18.5) - 10:00 p.m. ET - Peacock
Oregon’s season opener against Idaho was very puzzling. Even though Dillon Gabriel completed 41 of his 49 passes for 380 yards, the Ducks only beat Idaho by 10 points in Eugene. Now Oregon has to try and stop Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, who ran for 267 yards and six touchdowns in a 56-45 win over Georgia Southern.
While the defense of the Broncos did leave a lot to be desired with their performance against Georgia Southern, they were able to get some stops in the fourth quarter to pull away and secure the victory. Oregon certainly will be more efficient on offense, but I think Boise State has more than enough to keep this game from getting out of control.
Oregon 45, Boise State 34
Utah State v. No. 13 USC (-28.5) - 11:00 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
I’ll be honest, I was not expecting USC to look as good as they did on Sunday night in Las Vegas against LSU. If the Trojans can keep playing defense like they did against the Tigers, they are going to be tough to beat this year. It just goes to show you how terrible former defensive coordinator Alex Grinch was at his job, since D’Anton Lynn has been able to change the culture on defense after coming over as defensive coordinator from UCLA.
Utah State was probably just happy to get on the football field after the offseason drama that resulted in the firing of head coach Blake Anderson. The Aggies rolled up over 600 yards of offense in a 36-14 win over Robert Morris last week. Quarterback Bryson Barnes actually led Utah to a win last year at USC so he’ll go into the game with some confidence.
While I’m not calling for Utah State to win this one, they could annoy the Trojans, who are working on a short week and have been hearing about how great they are after the win over LSU,
USC 48, Utah State 24
Western Michigan v. No. 2 Ohio State (-37.5) - 7:30 p.m. ET - Big Ten Network
Last week we rolled with Akron to cover the massive point spread against Ohio State. The play worked, as the Buckeyes won by ONLY 46 points.
There was some rust early on that contributed to Ohio State barely failing to cover the massive number against the Zips. The most notable issue for the Buckeyes was how much trouble they had running the football. Quinshon Judkins was bottled up in his Ohio State debut, with the Buckeyes running for 170 yards on the ground as a team.
At least Will Howard was able to find Jeremiah Smith early and often in the game. In his first collegiate game, Smith has already started to live up to the hype. The trifecta of Smith, Emeka Egbuka, and Carnell Tate are only going to get better as the season moves along. The veteran leadership of Will Howard is also going to make this team so much more enjoyable to watch than what we saw from Kyle McCord last season.
Western Michigan hung with Wisconsin last week, actually taking a 14-13 lead on the Badgers early in the fourth quarter. Although, I think that might have more to do with Wisconsin still struggling to find their identity under Luke Fickell than the Broncos being a team that is going to contend for the MAC title this year. Western Michigan is still pretty green on offense, which will likely show up more against Ohio State’s outstanding defense, who were able to score two touchdowns against Akron last week.
It probably sounds crazy to say the Buckeyes are going to improve after a 46-point win, but they will tighten up some areas this week. TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins find some more running room this week, especially if guard Donovan Jackson returns to the lineup after missing last week due to injury. Next week Ohio State has a bye, so Ryan Day is going to expect a complete performance out of his team this week.
This feels like a game the Buckeyes should win by at least 40 points.
Ohio State 51, Western Michigan 10
Continue reading...
LGHL Pooch Punt: General thoughts and mild musings about Ohio State’s lopsided victory over Akron
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Pooch Punt: General thoughts and mild musings about Ohio State’s lopsided victory over Akron
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Week 1 was a bit of a snoozer in The Shoe, however, several players and themes still stood out.
The Ohio State Buckeyes opened their 2024-25 football season with an exciting nail-biter of a win over vaunted in-state rival Akron this past Saturday, overcoming early adversity to eventually pull away by a slim margin... Okay, so most of that is and was a total lie. But give me a break, it’s tough to dress up a Week 1 “paycheck” game (yes, Akron was paid for their time and trouble).
That being said, it wasgood great to see the Buckeyes back on the field in a real game setting. Saturday’s game had its highs and its lows, but all in all, it was a solid start for Ryan Day’s squad. New and/or young guys played well, Jim Knowles’ defense was dominant, and the team’s offensive line was... present.
Unfortunately, I just don’t have much for you when it comes to in-depth analysis. I mean, we’re talking about a game against Akron. This was a glorified exhibition that happened to go on/count towards OSU’s regular season record. But I’m not sure that we learned a ton about how Day and Co. will approach their tougher games and Big Ten schedule.
So instead of breaking down the all-22, I decided to empty the observation tank. These are and were my first impressions of the Buckeyes, in what may or may not become a recurring weekly theme.
Will Howard has aura, as the kids would say. No offense to Ohio State’s previous starting quarterback – who had a hell of a game in Syracuse, NY BTW – but Howard just looked the part of a “franchise” signal caller on Saturday. He appeared calm, cool, andcollected most importantly, confident throughout the game against Akron, even after a sluggish start. And he probably should (have), right? Given his years of experience in Manhattan, KS.
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Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Still, the way Howard carried himself on Saturday was... refreshing. And different. Different from what OSU fans saw from the QB position last season. The former Kansas State Wildcat often appeared to be the most locked-in guy on the entire field, while also smiling and enjoying himself. And that’s just not something Buckeye fans saw enough of in 2023.
Now at some point, Howard’s performance will take (greater) precedence and be the only thing that matters. Not his attitude and/or the vibes he is putting out. But what I saw on Saturday gives me confidence that Howard is going be a great leader for this Ohio State team, through thick and thin.
Jeremiah Smith dropping the first ball thrown his way was the funniest possible outcome, given the hype around – and expectations for – him. Although, Smith likely didn’t find humor in the situation. But it put(s) him in good company, as OSU and NFL Hall of Famer Cris Carter was quick to note.
Smith recovered quite well and wasted little time giving the college football world a preview of what’s to come. As well as a glimpse of what opponents should fear when taking on the Buckeyes. The true freshman already looks like one of the best wide receivers in CFB after just one game, drop be damned. So that little snafu will likely become just a footnote in history; something that Smith is hoping and appears poised to make.
Brandon Inniss is Ohio State’s most exciting special teams player in a decade (or more). Not since Jalin Marshall has OSU had a truly exciting kick/punt returner. Sure, there were players who fans hoped would generate excitement and return kicks like Marshall and/or Ted Ginn Jr., but it just never came to fruition. Inniss, on the other hand, is already a certified electric factory.
The second-year WR returned four punts for 60 total yards against Akron, racking up 80% of the Buckeyes’ 2023 punt return total... Yep, that’s right. Parker Fleming’s unit totaled just 75 punt return yards all of last season! And Inniss nearly matched or exceeded that in one afternoon.
He (Inniss) looked both fearless and supremely confident while catching punts inside the 10 and/or off the bounce, something we haven’t seen in Columbus in a long, long time. And it was never the wrong decision! Inniss didn’t make any boneheaded mistakes that could have cost Ohio State. Instead, he set the team up with better field position on four separate occasions.
Now, was this against an inferior team in Akron? Yes, you know it was. And am I fully expecting Inniss to make one of those aforementioned wrong/bad decisions in the fourth quarter of a close Big Ten game? Also yes.
But OSU hasn’t returned a kick of any kind for a TD since 2014, and I’m sick of waiting. Ryan Day guaranteed a return TD, and after Saturday, I legitimately expect Inniss to deliver.
Ohio State’s defensive ends... all of them... looked phenomenal, as they should against an overmatched Akron team. But even though OSU should dominate against a MAC team, wasn’t it great to see the likes of Kenyatta Jackson, Caden Curry, Mitchell Melton, and even Eddrick Houston actually do so!?
More on this group later, but it wasn’t just J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer who looked the part of a starting DE for the Buckeyes. The “others” looked and/or played like they could enter the lineup at any point and help cause chaos up front.
Jack Sawyer (and Joe Moorhead, oddly) seemed to have a personal vendetta against Akron QB Ben Finley. Though Sawyer was not credited with a sack, he was in Akron’s backfield – and Finley’s face – all afternoon. At least while both were in the game.
Time after time, Sawyer bull-rushed his way past or spun around the Zips’ right tackle, reaching Finley just after he released a pass and planting the latter firmly in the Ohio Stadium dirt. There was even a sequence shortly before Akron’s starting QB exited the game where Sawyer got to him on three straight or three out of four snaps and seemingly did significant (and legal, nothing dirty) damage to Finley’s upper body on each and every occasion. It was almost like Sawyer channeled The Waterboy’s Bobby Boucher for a few hours.
And oddly, Moorhead seemed to be okay with Finley taking hit after hit. The coach even ran his signal caller (via designed play) multiple times after it was clear and evident that Finley was in pain. Kudos to the QB for displaying grit and toughness, but I gotta question the decision to leave him in as long as the Akron coach(es) did.
Davison Igbinosun is all gas, no brakes, and that’s great. But coaches and fans should not be surprised if/when he racks up a few penalties. Igbinosun plays with his hair on fire, plain and simple. And I absolutely love that from “my” defensive backs. However, the former Ole Miss Rebel has been prone to penalties during his time in Columbus, and Saturday was no different. Igbinosun was nearly ejected from the game for targeting on Akron’s first drive. Can’t have that.
Most coaches are fine with the occasional penalty, but Igbinosun should choose his spots carefully when it comes to being hyper-aggressive. Because Ohio State is better/best when he’s on the field.
Donovan Jackson was sorely missed. Look, I don’t want to be negative, but Saturday was a D/D+ performance by OSU’s OL... Against Akron! This shit can’t continue. It’s one thing if Justin Frye struggles to recruit, but it’s another if he (also) can’t put a cohesive and high-performing unit on the field. The Buckeyes’ best O-lineman on Saturday was developed at Alabama... Hopefully, it was just Week 1 jitters.
Quick Hitters
The kids are alright. Smith, Houston, and James Peoples – all true freshmen – got real snaps in Saturday’s game and contributed in meaningful ways. Hell of a start for the young Bucks.
Larry Johnson’s “backup” Rushmen package brought tears to this fan’s eyes. I may have missed an earlier iteration with different personnel, but when I saw Houston and Melton playing DE, with Jackson and Curry inside, I thought maybe I was on illicit substances. And guess what? The Rushmen package worked, as Jackson and Melton combined for a sack. Please, please, please give us more of this.
Archie Griffin “dotting the i” was awesome. That’s it, and that’s the end. Until next time...
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Week 1 was a bit of a snoozer in The Shoe, however, several players and themes still stood out.
The Ohio State Buckeyes opened their 2024-25 football season with an exciting nail-biter of a win over vaunted in-state rival Akron this past Saturday, overcoming early adversity to eventually pull away by a slim margin... Okay, so most of that is and was a total lie. But give me a break, it’s tough to dress up a Week 1 “paycheck” game (yes, Akron was paid for their time and trouble).
That being said, it was
Unfortunately, I just don’t have much for you when it comes to in-depth analysis. I mean, we’re talking about a game against Akron. This was a glorified exhibition that happened to go on/count towards OSU’s regular season record. But I’m not sure that we learned a ton about how Day and Co. will approach their tougher games and Big Ten schedule.
So instead of breaking down the all-22, I decided to empty the observation tank. These are and were my first impressions of the Buckeyes, in what may or may not become a recurring weekly theme.
Will Howard has aura, as the kids would say. No offense to Ohio State’s previous starting quarterback – who had a hell of a game in Syracuse, NY BTW – but Howard just looked the part of a “franchise” signal caller on Saturday. He appeared calm, cool, and
Still, the way Howard carried himself on Saturday was... refreshing. And different. Different from what OSU fans saw from the QB position last season. The former Kansas State Wildcat often appeared to be the most locked-in guy on the entire field, while also smiling and enjoying himself. And that’s just not something Buckeye fans saw enough of in 2023.
Now at some point, Howard’s performance will take (greater) precedence and be the only thing that matters. Not his attitude and/or the vibes he is putting out. But what I saw on Saturday gives me confidence that Howard is going be a great leader for this Ohio State team, through thick and thin.
Jeremiah Smith dropping the first ball thrown his way was the funniest possible outcome, given the hype around – and expectations for – him. Although, Smith likely didn’t find humor in the situation. But it put(s) him in good company, as OSU and NFL Hall of Famer Cris Carter was quick to note.
Smith recovered quite well and wasted little time giving the college football world a preview of what’s to come. As well as a glimpse of what opponents should fear when taking on the Buckeyes. The true freshman already looks like one of the best wide receivers in CFB after just one game, drop be damned. So that little snafu will likely become just a footnote in history; something that Smith is hoping and appears poised to make.
Brandon Inniss is Ohio State’s most exciting special teams player in a decade (or more). Not since Jalin Marshall has OSU had a truly exciting kick/punt returner. Sure, there were players who fans hoped would generate excitement and return kicks like Marshall and/or Ted Ginn Jr., but it just never came to fruition. Inniss, on the other hand, is already a certified electric factory.
The second-year WR returned four punts for 60 total yards against Akron, racking up 80% of the Buckeyes’ 2023 punt return total... Yep, that’s right. Parker Fleming’s unit totaled just 75 punt return yards all of last season! And Inniss nearly matched or exceeded that in one afternoon.
He (Inniss) looked both fearless and supremely confident while catching punts inside the 10 and/or off the bounce, something we haven’t seen in Columbus in a long, long time. And it was never the wrong decision! Inniss didn’t make any boneheaded mistakes that could have cost Ohio State. Instead, he set the team up with better field position on four separate occasions.
Now, was this against an inferior team in Akron? Yes, you know it was. And am I fully expecting Inniss to make one of those aforementioned wrong/bad decisions in the fourth quarter of a close Big Ten game? Also yes.
But OSU hasn’t returned a kick of any kind for a TD since 2014, and I’m sick of waiting. Ryan Day guaranteed a return TD, and after Saturday, I legitimately expect Inniss to deliver.
Ohio State’s defensive ends... all of them... looked phenomenal, as they should against an overmatched Akron team. But even though OSU should dominate against a MAC team, wasn’t it great to see the likes of Kenyatta Jackson, Caden Curry, Mitchell Melton, and even Eddrick Houston actually do so!?
More on this group later, but it wasn’t just J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer who looked the part of a starting DE for the Buckeyes. The “others” looked and/or played like they could enter the lineup at any point and help cause chaos up front.
Jack Sawyer (and Joe Moorhead, oddly) seemed to have a personal vendetta against Akron QB Ben Finley. Though Sawyer was not credited with a sack, he was in Akron’s backfield – and Finley’s face – all afternoon. At least while both were in the game.
Time after time, Sawyer bull-rushed his way past or spun around the Zips’ right tackle, reaching Finley just after he released a pass and planting the latter firmly in the Ohio Stadium dirt. There was even a sequence shortly before Akron’s starting QB exited the game where Sawyer got to him on three straight or three out of four snaps and seemingly did significant (and legal, nothing dirty) damage to Finley’s upper body on each and every occasion. It was almost like Sawyer channeled The Waterboy’s Bobby Boucher for a few hours.
And oddly, Moorhead seemed to be okay with Finley taking hit after hit. The coach even ran his signal caller (via designed play) multiple times after it was clear and evident that Finley was in pain. Kudos to the QB for displaying grit and toughness, but I gotta question the decision to leave him in as long as the Akron coach(es) did.
Davison Igbinosun is all gas, no brakes, and that’s great. But coaches and fans should not be surprised if/when he racks up a few penalties. Igbinosun plays with his hair on fire, plain and simple. And I absolutely love that from “my” defensive backs. However, the former Ole Miss Rebel has been prone to penalties during his time in Columbus, and Saturday was no different. Igbinosun was nearly ejected from the game for targeting on Akron’s first drive. Can’t have that.
Most coaches are fine with the occasional penalty, but Igbinosun should choose his spots carefully when it comes to being hyper-aggressive. Because Ohio State is better/best when he’s on the field.
Donovan Jackson was sorely missed. Look, I don’t want to be negative, but Saturday was a D/D+ performance by OSU’s OL... Against Akron! This shit can’t continue. It’s one thing if Justin Frye struggles to recruit, but it’s another if he (also) can’t put a cohesive and high-performing unit on the field. The Buckeyes’ best O-lineman on Saturday was developed at Alabama... Hopefully, it was just Week 1 jitters.
Quick Hitters
The kids are alright. Smith, Houston, and James Peoples – all true freshmen – got real snaps in Saturday’s game and contributed in meaningful ways. Hell of a start for the young Bucks.
Larry Johnson’s “backup” Rushmen package brought tears to this fan’s eyes. I may have missed an earlier iteration with different personnel, but when I saw Houston and Melton playing DE, with Jackson and Curry inside, I thought maybe I was on illicit substances. And guess what? The Rushmen package worked, as Jackson and Melton combined for a sack. Please, please, please give us more of this.
Archie Griffin “dotting the i” was awesome. That’s it, and that’s the end. Until next time...
Continue reading...
LGHL Judkins throws shade at Ole Miss and Day wants improvement ‘across the board’
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- 0 Replies
Judkins throws shade at Ole Miss and Day wants improvement ‘across the board’
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
Quick Hits: Quinshon Judkins Calls Playing in Ohio State “A One-of-a-Kind Experience” and Carnell Tate Expects Western Michigan to “Play Ball With Us”
Chase Brown, Dan Hope, Garrick Hodge, and Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Jeremiah Smith gives the Buckeyes something they haven’t yet had under Ryan Day and Brian Hartline
Caleb Houser, Land-Grant Holy Land
Shove it, Lane.
Buckeyes program-wide emphasis on special teams already paying off (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Ryan Day Says Ohio State Needs to Improve “Little Things All Across The Board” in Week 2
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Evaluating grades beyond box score after Buckeyes beat Akron (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting The Eyes
Game Data: Ohio State hoping for better start as it hosts Western Michigan
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts
How Ryan Day is adjusting to OSU’s new offensive play-calling dynamic
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Three areas Buckeyes must show improvement in this week (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Which Buckeye surprised you most against Akron?
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
You’re Nuts: Which Buckeye changed the perception of them the most in Week 1?
Matt Tamanini and Jami Jurich, Land-Grant Holy Land
Cincinnati to host Ohio State for preseason men’s basketball game
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Five Big Ten men’s basketball sophomores who could have breakout seasons
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land
Men’s Cross Country: Jack Agnew Selected B1G Freshman of the Week
Ohio State Athletics
Baseball: Buckeyes’ College Baseball Series Schedule Announced
Ohio State Athletics
Is Eastern Kentucky my new favorite team?
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
For your Earholes...
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
On the Gridiron
Quick Hits: Quinshon Judkins Calls Playing in Ohio State “A One-of-a-Kind Experience” and Carnell Tate Expects Western Michigan to “Play Ball With Us”
Chase Brown, Dan Hope, Garrick Hodge, and Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Jeremiah Smith gives the Buckeyes something they haven’t yet had under Ryan Day and Brian Hartline
Caleb Houser, Land-Grant Holy Land
Shove it, Lane.
Buckeyes program-wide emphasis on special teams already paying off (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Ryan Day Says Ohio State Needs to Improve “Little Things All Across The Board” in Week 2
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors
Evaluating grades beyond box score after Buckeyes beat Akron (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting The Eyes
Game Data: Ohio State hoping for better start as it hosts Western Michigan
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts
How Ryan Day is adjusting to OSU’s new offensive play-calling dynamic
Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch
Three areas Buckeyes must show improvement in this week (paywall)
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Which Buckeye surprised you most against Akron?
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
You’re Nuts: Which Buckeye changed the perception of them the most in Week 1?
Matt Tamanini and Jami Jurich, Land-Grant Holy Land
On the Hardwood
Cincinnati to host Ohio State for preseason men’s basketball game
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch
Five Big Ten men’s basketball sophomores who could have breakout seasons
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Men’s Cross Country: Jack Agnew Selected B1G Freshman of the Week
Ohio State Athletics
Baseball: Buckeyes’ College Baseball Series Schedule Announced
Ohio State Athletics
And now for something completely different...
Is Eastern Kentucky my new favorite team?
Continue reading...